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New effort to cut back food stamp abuse, costs

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    Program has ballooned to 1 in 7 Americans

  • Duration 4:53
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Welcome back everybody trying to cut abuse in the food stamp program there's a new push in the -- it.

But it was blocked despite just the support they have from both sides of the -- The program has ballooned in the last couple of years and it may -- going to the wrong people.

Check this out a reported 46 million people get food stamps right now.

That turns out to be one in seven Americans.

27 million more and got them just a decade ago and the overall cost is skyrocketing to its doubled since 2008.

Quadrupled.

Over the past decade.

Alabama senator Jeff Sessions is the Republican ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee senator sessions it's great to see you thank you for joining us.

Thank you Jamie it's good to be with you can I start and ask you how big an issue this is for our country.

It's really big -- a whole lot of reasons.

First of all the American people on need to demand that this government examine every program.

And food stamps has been totally exempt from any cuts and this is one of the largest surging programs in the entire government.

And we need to tighten that up and also.

I really believe -- that we need to look again -- nine -- welfare system and welfare multiple programs to make sure that.

We're moving people from dependency to independents and work that was -- 96 reform we've lost it's momentum I think -- -- to go back and recapture that help Americans go from paid to productivity and and prosperity -- so.

A hand up instead of a -- I get it.

But what sort of abuse have you discovered how many people are actually getting it that shouldn't.

As -- he's number of people that are getting that that shouldn't stakes -- have manipulated the program trying to link.

Because all the money comes from Washington but the State's administrative set up a lot of the rules.

So -- him created rules that.

I'll allow people to receive -- far beyond what the law on basic law says they should get and I had an amendment that would tighten that up.

-- -- -- if you've got to Karzai house and 30000 dollars in the buying.

But you don't have on high income.

You don't get food stamps that's what the law says but states have rewritten the rules to do that that would disable eleven billion.

800 billion expected to be spent.

Of the ten years -- it and it didn't pass and I gotta tell you I was disappointed that that.

What what can you do now about it and given the fact that it it would have saved so much money and you discovered that it's going to people that.

Don't deserve it I mean I'm sure you admit that it's a it's a program that can help a lot of folks during these tough times.

What can be your next step.

Well.

We begin educate people.

People are talking about it I felt on the floor of the senate a number of people saying well you know there are some problems in this program.

So the House of Representatives they're going to have an -- bill and it's going to tighten up food stamps on convinced.

And now we need to work together to support them the senate rejected any changes bicycling and food stamp program.

And by the way other agriculture bill 80%.

Of the funding is food stamps.

The farmers only get 20% on this bill -- -- this is a huge problem.

It was unique even that it was part of the farm bill to that extent especially.

But one of the things is there are people who -- income from odd sources it in the research I read gambling winnings.

-- things like that how you can attracted to know really.

-- should get it and who really should have -- taken away.

Run.

One of the amendments offered was to quit giving states incentives for -- how many people they sign up.

Because that encourages them to sign -- -- anybody regardless of their wealth.

So they've eliminated.

In effect in most of the states now have eliminated.

The requirement.

Your assets that you you can't get free food if you have substantial -- senator sessions.

Before we go you're telling us that states actually get a bonus for signing people up or -- it.

Absolutely they are we giving -- bonuses from more the more people they sign up.

And we really need to be calling on him as administrators -- the program to be making sure that it has integrity.

That people who don't and qualified don't get it.

And instead we the -- them.

Mentality.

Is to say how much we can.

Put out prying -- and it's wrong and we -- in denial about on -- and we don't have the money all right senator sessions thank you so much sir great day thank.

Thank you notes.

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